1999 Volume 16 Issue 2 Pages 159-167
Dynamics of vegetation structure and composition in a natural scrub community were investigated for six years after a fire on Mt. Tenjo, Kozu-shima Island, Izu Islands. Vegetation coverage of the burnt area was still low six years after the fire. Many burnt trees were resprouted, but there were very few seedlings. To assess the effects of soil surface disturbance on vegetation regrowth, pins of two different sizes were set up below regenerating shoots, Miscanthus condensatus tussocks, and rocks (protected sites) or with no protection (open sites) and re-counted the following year. Many small pins at open sites were damaged or lost by soil surface disturbance, but few were damaged or lost at protected sites. More small pins were damaged or lost than large pins. By implication, more small seedlings would be affected by soil surface disturbance at open sites than at protected sites. Species with a small initial size would be more likely to die by soil surface disturbance than species with a greater ability to sprout or with a larger initial size. The vegetation of this area will probably recover slowly by invasion of seedlings in protected sites.
